the kind of generalist i am
I have a weird collection of distinct strengths that don’t fit neatly into job titles.
I’m not often technically qualified for the very-specialized roles that sail across my radar. But, I’m at a place in my life where I can recognize that this collection of skills would be a significant and positive force in the right context.
Which means it’s slightly hard to know where to look. Probably small companies, but not necessarily. Probably AI-adjacent, but not necessarily. Probably remote-friendly cultures, but not necessarily.
what i want
To wake up with ideas I’m eager to get to and people I’m eager to work with.
To go to bed exhausted and satisfied and ready to do it again… with just the right time away that makes me better at it by virtue of being a whole person.
I want to be responsible for helping people use and care for words that improve clarity and coordination. those words can be code, microcopy, marketing copy, documentation, and even the visual syllables that need to speak as much as words do — layouts, components, photography, motion graphics, etc.
I can plan these things, build them, wrangle them, document them, care for them.
We can call that being a technical writer, or a project manager, a front-end developer, a designer, maybe a product owner… but we probably shouldn’t settle on any one specifically, because my one trick is being able to do all of them pretty well and swooping between roles however it best serves the goal.
what i bring
Design engineer and product designer. Frontend for 3+ years. Branding and UI design for 2+ years before that. Here’s my resume and my work.
Code is my design tool. I taught myself to code because it was the only way to fully realize my ideas. now I use code to get as close as possible to the web medium — it creates a much faster feedback loop and keeps everything honest. delivery isn’t a commit. it’s a tangible experience in someone’s hands.
A few things I’ve built or shipped:
- APM intern at Twitter (2019–20), improving the Notifications experience and analytics funnel for Android.
- Built Letter Beta from initial commit through beta launch — a mobile app where strangers could anonymously send each other messages of kindness
- Product designer at MISO Energy until May 2024, redesigning their help center
- Brand work at Saatchi & Saatchi London — you can still find my 2020-era work in India Health Link Kiosks nearby in Chennai or Bangalore.
- Since 2024, running an independent design practice for US and Euro clients, remote from Chennai… planning, designing, building, and managing projects from wireframes to launch
what i need
Clear goals. not detailed instructions… just a sense of direction. I can figure out the how, or I’ll come up with goals and get a nod. I will not work without them, and I won’t ask others to either.
Attention to detail while keeping sight of the larger thing. The details always tell the story. You cannot fake a love for them. I don’t need it to be my story, but I need the details to support it.
People to help. Ideally people I can see and talk to individually… to listen to and understand. Having them in mind sharpens everything. I need it to be about them first.
It could be the team itself. Making sure everyone’s confident, on the same page, encouraged to contribute ideas and questions and jokes and dreams. or it could be the users, the readers, the customers… whoever we’re building for.
how i work
People first. Great products are built by teams in a scenius of shared knowhow. I’m reflective but love a laugh. People confide in me, and I use that trust to make things better for them.
Tempo. Testing a hypothesis? Drafting until it’s obvious? Running downhill toward release? Urgency carves out the true nature of scope. I keep tempo in mind at all times.
Communication. Strong opinions, weakly held. Action creates insight. If we disagree, accept and commit, then move. I write or video-demo my progress at the end of most days… it forces clarity and keeps everyone oriented.
I’ll listen and simmer and investigate and find connections. I’m not afraid to ask questions, be wrong, or jump in the deep end. I’ll check in constantly, tell you what I see, and always be finding the most useful way to help.
the right fit
Role — I can work in design or engineering, but I work best as a design engineer. I want to join a team & can lead it, also I’m open to contracts and one-off projects to meet the right people.
Stack — React, TypeScript, server components, APIs. Figma and TLDraw. I’m particularly interested in LLMs, design systems, and real-time local-first systems.
Location — Chennai, India (IST). Willing to re-locate for advent. Also, remote since 2021 for clients across India and two US-based startups. The 9-hour EST US-IND overlap works very well.
Balance — I don’t care about the vacation policy. Those hard sprints can be fun, but I usually need to recover from them. I bring my best brain when it’s balanced. I want your culture to encourage that will make me the best I can be at my work and my humanity because they’re different facets of the same thing.
I am open to people and ideas so if you have a unique situation, let’s chat.
I will be useful and earn your trust in short time, but in six months or a year you will see me at full strength and feel things shift.
don’t hesitate to say hello :)